Of Fleeting Dreams And Evanescent Hearts
by ToxicRainfall
Summary: This is the tale of the last years of Helena Ravenclaw's -the Grey Lady- life...
1. Watching Stars And Uncanny Eyes

**~ Of Fleeting Dreams And Evanescent Hearts ~**

**A/N:** This is for Shira Lansys' 'Speed of Lightning' Competition. This round, the task was to write a story over 6,000 words in three days. This is Chapter One, and is 1,052. Five more chapters to come! And please review! :D

**[[Chapter One: Watching Stars And Uncanny Eyes]]**

* * *

Helena walked the corridors of Hogwarts castle, her long hair tumbling over a long cloak, and grey eyes shining in the moonlight that poured through the windows lining the walkway. The night was her favourite time of day, as it seemed so hushed and magical, and she loved the way the stars watched her every move with a half-hearted curiosity.

It made her feel like the most important person in the world, with a million unblinking eyes upon her.

Sometimes she would hear the distant notes of lyres in the night, usually the product of her mother's restlessness, and it would make the castle feel like a haunted ruin, dark and quiet, save for the reminiscent sounds of people long past.

But she would have to correct herself, for thoughts of superstition and ghostly tales were the fancies of muggle peasants with their ramshackle huts and fire-side stories.

She could not pretend, however, that the thoughts of tragic spectres reliving the last moments of their sad, sad lives over and over again did not fascinate her. There was something so inexplicably distressing about the thought of existing an eternity, always living in a past one cannot hope to regain, or move onwards from.

But once again, she had to chide herself for such foolish, whimsical thoughts.

She paused as she reached the opening to the archives, and breathed the night in deeply. There was something intensely thrilling about stealing into the empty rooms at night and reading silently in some abandoned alcove, with only the wavering flames of an oil lamp to see by.

She did just this, lighting a lamp as silently as she could, and carrying it to one of the shelves, where she placed it carefully beside a large tome. Helena began to stroke the spines of several books, before selecting one that interested her.

Taking it to a high-backed seat in the corner of the dim room, she placed the tome on the desk, careful not to spill any of the burning oil from the lamp on it. The last thing she would need was the whole castle awoken by a fire, only to see her staring woefully into the flames, and whispering behind her back about what a disappointment she was to her esteemed mother.

Yes, her mother was highly intelligent, beautiful, wise and kind, but Helena was none of these things. Not in her eyes. She had an intelligent mind, yes, but was nothing compared to the great Rowena Ravenclaw. She was pretty, but not in comparison. She was not wise, and she was as far from kind as one of her status could be.

But it was not her fault. It was the idle talk of the other witches and wizards at Hogwarts that had made a once gentle and loving spirit into the bitter, resentful young woman she was now.

She knew she had it in her to be just as wise and perfect as her mother, but the others did not see that in her. One day, Helena would show them just how intelligent she was, and then they would all have to repent their cruel words and accept that she was a worthy heir to the Ravenclaw name.

Was that why she read so much? Was there a secret part of her that was searching endlessly for some way of increasing the potency of her mind, to surpass her mother in every sense?

Helena could not answer those questions, not for sure, but something deep inside told her she was right.

And so she read on…

**)O(**

It was daylight now, and Helena strode about the castle, head held high and nose in the air. She was not going to let the taunts of her fellow students get to her. She was a Ravenclaw, both in name and spirit, and she was intelligent enough to know that the thoughts of others mean nothing in comparison to your own thoughts on yourself.

She was strong, and knowledgeable, and they would not pull her heart into a state of sadness or depression. She was a noble woman, haughty, perhaps, but noble and unworthy of such sour treatment.

There was one boy, however, who never treated her as though she was some bastard child to the Ravenclaw name, undeserving and pitiable. He was a short-tempered, hostile young man, who was of the same age as her. He was cold and stoic, and often angry, though he tried not to inflict that upon others. He was a baron, heir to the Von Bruckelberg's estates and wealth, and a very powerful man.

This young man was also in love with Helena.

He had tried not to, she could see, as he pushed her away and avoided making any contact with her. But she always caught him staring at her, and she could see the love in his eyes. She was seventeen, but not a fool.

Bryant Von Bruckelberg wanted her, she knew that, yet she would never return his feelings.

It was not that Bryant (or the Baron, as everyone called him) was not of a marriageable material, as she knew it would be a smart match. And he was very handsome, with his chiselled jaw line and captivating eyes, but his temper was too much, and her standards were too high.

They would not be good together. She was intelligent enough to know that.

Still, he always seemed to be present, lurking in distant corners of the courtyard in the day, or hiding behind a book in the archives in the evening.

She found him to be a nuisance at first, but after he began to scare off those who wished to speak unkindly to her, she found him to be a comfort.

But then he became unbearable, with his suffocating presence and uncanny eyes. Always watching her, always staring…

She'd had enough of it; enough of the whispers, of the abuse, of the constant presence of the Baron.

Helena Ravenclaw needed to get away, to escape the suffocating castle and her mother's shadow.

It would be done. And as soon as possible.

There was just one thing she needed in order to make sure she could one day hope to rise up, more powerful and more intelligent than her lady mother.

It would be done…


	2. Hushed Night And Silent Words

**~ Of Fleeting Dreams And Evanescent Hearts ~**

**A/N:** This chapter was 1,028 words :)

**[[Chapter Two: Hushed Night And Silent Words]]**

* * *

Night time was often Helena's favourite time of day, yes, but that night was very different.

Instead of comfortable hushes and friendly stars, the atmosphere was tense, and dangerous. The stars seemed to be glaring at her, accusing her of the crime they know she would soon commit. She wanted them all to blink into non-existence, saving her from their judging light.

But that thought was folly, and so she continued, stealing her way through the shadows.

Her mother's room was not far from her own, but there was a long corridor she had to traverse before she reached Ravenclaw's tower. Suits of armour stood sentinel beside both entrances to the corridor, and Helena had to keep out of their sights, to avoid awakening them and causing them to raise the alarm by clanging their visors open and closed, and beating blunt swords against their shields.

So she stole past them, silent as a shadow, keeping her body pressed up against the stony walls.

She was wearing a long, black travelling cloak, and soft shoes that muffled her steps. She held a hemp satchel that, though not attractive, had been charmed to hold more items that it would seem. Inside, she had placed hide boots, enough food for a week, and some of her favourite books, as well as the necessary amount of clothes she needed. She also had an empty black box inside it too, which was waiting for the item she was about to steal from her mother.

Still keeping to the shadows, Helena was soon outside the heavy door to Ravenclaw tower. She loved her mother's quarters, as the stars were best seen from her wide, open windows. Helena had spent many an hour gazing up at the stars from her mother's tower, wondering what magic was contained within them.

But this night was a different night, and Helena was not there for such trivial reasons.

She wanted her mother's diadem, even if it meant stealing it.

So she tip-toed into her mother's room, careful as to not arouse her from her deep sleep, and she crouched down, sliding onto her knees and then crawling towards her mother's bed.

Helena's heart leapt into her throat as her mother sighed, but when she was sure she was still asleep, she slid her hand under her mother's bed, until her hand bumped against a material shape.

She pulled it out, feeling the shape of the diadem beneath the fabric.

Without a second to lose, Helena pulled the box from her back, and stuffed the diadem inside it, before quickly shoving it back into her hemp back.

Now it was just a case of escaping the castle, and where she would go from there. But escaping was the priority.

She backed out of her mother's room, not stopping once to have one last look at the stars, and made it out of the room.

As before, she clung to the shadows, sidling up against the wall and moving as quickly as her feet could take her. She passed the suits of armour easily, and soon she was in the deserted corridors of the main part of the castle. Speed was important now, as well as stealth, as one of the professors could walk around the corner at any time. Professor Hufflepuff might have been understanding, but if she collided with Professor Slytherin, then all chances of escape would be destroyed.

Helena bolted from one corner to another, darting down corridors and leaping passed doorways. Her heart was beating so fast the entire time, and her breaths were leaving her in quick, successive bursts. She was afraid that someone would hear her.

It took longer than she thought to traverse the Grand Staircase successfully, but once she reached the bottom, it was only a matter of entering the Entrance Hall and leaving through the door.

She was going to make it.

The Entrance Hall seemed eerie when deserted. She was used to seeing floods of students running up and down the steps, and scurrying between classes. But in the dead of night, it took on a whole new personality, or abyssal corners, and unfounded sighs.

Her throat had become unreasonably dry, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to breathe. She had to hurry and get out of the castle, to flee into the night unnoticed.

Maybe then she would no longer feel so suffocated.

She tore down the stairs, her feet making small tapping noises that were lost in the all-encompassing silence. When she had reached the bottom, there were only ten more strides to freedom.

Helena put one foot forward, when a deep, low voice broke the tense silence.

"What are you doing, m'lady?"

She span about, a small noise escaping her lips. Her eyes were open wide, and her heart beat painfully fast.

Relief spilled through her veins as she saw it was just the Baron, and not Professor Slytherin as she had first feared. Though the Baron's gaunt face and terribly dark eyes scared her, she knew his love for her would let her get away with anything.

Not a single word left her lips, but her eyes spoke a million words that her tongue could never speak. The Baron read every word, and in return stared at her, and an understanding grew between them. And so he nodded once, closed his eyes, and turned away, leaving the Entrance Hall empty again.

All she had to do now was open the door, and run, full pelt, across the grounds, until she could slip through the gate and apparate to safety.

So she bolted, taking but a few minutes to fully navigate the length of the grounds. Her legs ached and breathing was nigh on impossible once she finally reached the gates.

Panting hard, Helena placed one dainty hand on the rusted metal. She turned back, one last time, at the castle that had been her home for so many years, and feeling little sorrow in her heart, she darted outside, closing the gates behind her.

One deep breath, and one quick spin and she was gone from the castle, and now freedom was her only friend…


	3. Flowering Life And Booming Knocks

**~ Of Fleeting Dreams And Evanescent Hearts ~**

**A/N:** This chapter is 1,036 words :)

**[[Chapter Three: Flowering Life And Booming Knocks]]**

* * *

Her flight from Hogwarts was tense and terrifying, but ultimately she knew it was the correct decision to have made.

She had never felt so free in her life; it was truly liberating.

Helena attempted to blend it with the muggles, taking up wearing muggle peasant attire, and travelling as they did. It took about a month to leave the country, and she soon found herself in a ship, crossing over to Europe. Once there, she had travelled tirelessly for months, until she finally reached somewhere she felt safe enough to stop and just live.

It was in Albania, in a small, deserted hut in the middle of a forest that she found her new home.

There, she built a new life for herself, using magic to hunt rabbits and deer for food, and magic to prepare and cook them. And every day, she wore the diadem, knowing that soon its power would make her more intelligent and wiser and more beautiful than her mother.

Life was peaceful, and she felt her mind grow sharper with every passing moment. She settled into a state of serenity, existing without the abuse of her fellow students, and without the oppressive gaze of the Baron. She was grateful to him, for letting her go, but that didn't mean her love for him had grown at all. The idea of him still made her shudder with fright.

But he was far away from her there, and so he barely entered her thoughts. She did feel odd whenever she thought of her mother, and wondered if her mother even cared that she had left.

Helena doubted it. She was only a disappointment anyway, so her mother was probably more than glad to be rid of her burden.

She would make her regret that though, one day. Years in the future, once the diadem had been truly allowed to brighten her mind, she would return to Hogwarts, and show everyone that she could be better than her mother.

It was the one thought that got her through every day; through even the hardest winters and darkest nights. Life was hard sometimes, but hope and magic got her through it.

Years passed, and she aged as anyone else would.

But soon enough, she began to feel unfulfilled. She wanted to find a husband, and start a family of her own, where she vowed to one day have her own daughter who will not feel unworthy of her name, and who feels unloved by her own mother. No, her daughter will be loved and cherished, and made to feel important and worthy every day.

It took months to find anyone who filled her image of the 'perfect' husband, but one day, she came across a young man named Ivan, who she fell for easily. They moved quickly, soon becoming intimate and marriage was soon to be a reality.

But soon into the relationship, a sickness took over her, and no potion she brewed could ever cure it. Most mornings she would wake up and empty her guts, and Helena felt awful.

Ivan helped her most days, but sometimes he had to remain with his own mother and sisters in the nearest village where he lived, and those days were hard.

It did not take her long to realise the truth of what was wrong with her.

And it was the best news she had had all her life; she was with child.

The night she found out, Ivan was in the village as his sister was sick with fever. But she wasn't too upset, as it meant she could let it sink in on her own. Her, Helena Ravenclaw, was going to be a mother.

Memories of her old life seemed so long ago, and she was so happy with her life as it was.

So that night, she decided to lay outside, with nothing but a blanket, and stare up at the same stars she always used to gaze up at with her mother. They seemed so unfamiliar from this part of the world, as though they're looking for her, but cannot find her, so are not looking at her with that same, comforting light. Still, they were her stars, and no matter where she was, they would always hold a special place in her heart.

She placed her hands on her stomach, and moved her thumb gently across her belly button, thinking about the life that was now growing inside her. It was a special moment for her, and sharing it with her stars meant everything to her. But there was something inside her that wished her mother was with her….

She didn't want to think about that though, so instead she decided to go back inside and prepare her supper. Helena kept her hand on her stomach the whole time, thinking intensely about the flowering life.

The dinner was going smoothly, and the music of the nightlife outside was serving to relax her, both inside and out. Crickets were chirruping, and night-bird cries echoed throughout the forest. Twigs snapped and she wondered what creatures were crawling through the shrubs outside.

She smiled to herself, happy with everything.

Life was good.

A twig snapped closer to her hut, and she grew concerned. The magic around her hut usually kept wild animals at a distance. Helena walked cautiously to the wooden door, and she could hear a deep breathing outside. Her heart started to beat faster, and she grew fearful.

Who, or what, was out there?

The breathing outside grew louder, and she remained frozen by the door, her dinner simmering away, forgotten, behind her.

Another twig snapped, before a loud, booming knock resounded at the door.

Her heart felt like it exploded, and she gulped.

Who was outside? She didn't understand… No muggles could see her home, except for when she got rid of the spell when Ivan came to hers. So the only explanation was that the guest was a witch or wizard.

But, unless they were searching for her, then how did they know she was a witch?

The knock sounded again and suddenly she was sure.

Of course they were looking for her specifically.

And they had found her.


	4. Dirt Clings And Death Sings

**~ Of Fleeting Dreams And Evanescent Hearts ~**

**A/N:** This chapter is 1,122 words! :D

**[[Chapter Four: Dirt Clings And Death Sings]]**

* * *

The knock sounded again, and Helena swallowed in fear.

Part of her was curious, but she knew that if they were searching for her, it wasn't for a good reason. So she went towards her bed, and found the hemp bag which she still kept after so many years, and found the diadem.

There was a back entrance to her hut, so she took advantage of it and fled into the forest.

There was an old oak tree a few yards into the forest, so she headed towards it, knowing it would be a good place to hide the diadem. If the person at the door was looking for her because of the diadem, then she really needed to make sure it wasn't in her possession.

She ran as fast as she could, until the tree was in her sights. She threw herself onto the ground beneath it, and dug into the ground with her bare hands, realising she had left her wand behind in the hut.

She dug it deeply, and finally flung the diadem within, and shoved the ground back on top of it.

Her nails were caked in mud, and were cracked and bloody.

Her long, grey dress was coated in mud, and her travelling cloak was even worse. But she had to run now, so she pulled her dress and cloak into her hands, and darted into the trees, the darkness quickly enveloping her.

Soon, she couldn't see the trees, and she was thoroughly lost. Panic for her safety, as well as her unborn baby's safety, rose up inside her, like a roiling bile, and she just ran blindly ahead.

Her foot caught on a root, and she tripped onto the ground, her legs tangling up with her dress and cloak. Her hair fell from its clasps, and pain seared in her bloodied hands.

Suddenly, a soft whisper of "lumos" caused an artificial light to brighten the area, and Helena knew she was caught.

She turned around slowly, and got to her feet. The man in front of her was a stranger, with rich clothes and a ridiculous powdered wig. But when she looked closer, she realised that his face was very familiar.

It was the Baron.

Eight years had passed since she had last seen him, and he looked a million miles away from the person she knew at school.

She realised she must seem different now. But the look of love in his eyes was still there, though more wild and desperate than it had ever been before. It was a look that frightened her, but she could only wonder why he was there.

"What are you doing here, sir?" She asked him, trying to keep the fear out of her voice.

"I am here for you, Miss Helena."

She nodded, knowing that he did not lie. Perhaps it was not about the diadem after all. She suddenly felt foolish in her haste to hide it.

"Why do you need me?"

"It… It is not me that has requested your presence. Your lady mother is the one who needs you. You see, she is close to death, and she wishes to see you one last time before she is gone."

Helena gasped and felt tears come into her eyes. "She's dying? How?"

"Because of you, I fear, milady. Ever since you have left, she has been getting weaker and weaker. She is dying of heartache." His voice was a low and steady as ever.

"Oh," was all she could manage, before sobbing. "But she did not care about me. I was a disappointment."

"No. That is not true."

She nodded as she cried. "It is true! I was never intelligent enough, or beautiful…"

"You were always beautiful to me, my dear Helena." His voice seemed to break on her name.

"Don't… Sir, please, it is impossible."

"Come back with me. Come back to Hogwarts and see your mother before she passes. Come back and I will protect you from those who seek the diadem. Please, milady." He seemed desperate now.

Helena shook her head sadly. "I fear I cannot. I have a life here now. I am to be married-"

The Baron got angry then, and she could tell his temper had flipped in a second. His brow creased up and his lips curled into a snarl. "What?"

"I am sorry, my lord, but I am in love with a man, and I cannot leave him." She paused, and added sadly, "Not even for my mother."

"No. I will not allow this!" The Baron rushed forward, and pushed Helena up against a tree.

She gasped as her head slammed into the bark, and her eyes smarted. His furious face was close to hers and she regretted saying anything.

"You are not married yet!" He spat. "You will come back with me, and we will marry. It is to be done."

Helena sobbed with fear. "I can't," she breathed.

"You will! By God, I will make it happen, whether you like it or not!"

"No! I cannot! My place is here!"

He slapped her then, a rough, violent attack that opened her lip and caused blood to flow down her face.

"Now look what you made me do!" The Baron's eyes were almost bulging from his sockets.

"Stop it, please. Stop!" She tried to push him off her, but he was too strong.

But then his eyes changed and he let her go, a strange calmness in his expression.

She moved away from the tree, and turned away from him. "Please, sir. Please let me stay."

She heard twigs snap as he approached her slowly. "My love, you can stay here forever."

He kissed her on the neck –a cold, clammy kiss that made her shiver with fear-, and he put one arm around her shoulder. The other hand rose to her lower back, and it rested there for a moment.

She thought she heard him whisper, "We will stay here together, forever," before a sharp pain exploded where his hand had been. Her eyes widened and she felt blood flood into her mouth.

The only words she could utter were, "My baby," before she collapsed to her knees. The world span into darkness, and she could just see the Baron leaning over her. A strange, remorseful expressions was on his face, and he started muttering under his breath, and she could see he regretted what he had done immediately.

But it didn't matter.

He was too late, and she was about to die. Before her last breath, she saw him lift the blade her had stabbed her with to his own stomach, and as she passed to the other side, his blood cascaded onto her dress….


	5. Lights, Nothingness And Broken Miles

**~ Of Fleeting Dreams And Evanescent Hearts ~**

**A/N**: This chapter was 1,040 words :)

**[[Chapter Five: Lights, Nothingness And Broken Miles]]**

* * *

Light.

That was all she could see. Pinpricks of light in a mass of nothingness. It reminded her of her stars, if she was honest.

Stars? Now what were they again?

Everything seemed so strange in this place. Nothing was real, but nothing was pretend. It was just… nothing, really.

She felt more light-hearted than she had ever felt before.

There was no sadness, no anger, no happiness… Just melancholia.

She recalled a face, twisted in rage, but that was a lifetime away, or maybe it was part of a dream? She could not tell anymore.

Helena just felt as though she was drifting, lazily floating in nothingness, to be part of nothingness herself. Whimsical thoughts entered her thoughts, only to drift right back out again.

Aspects of her life came to her, and left just as quickly. Things about her mother, and about the Baron, and about a man named Ivan whose face she could not recall.

And something about… a baby?

She suddenly felt sad then, with more intensity than she had ever felt anything in her life. More intense even than the pain she felt when she died. Things grew clearer then, and instead of pure lights and nothingness, a greyness appeared. Black and whites dotted her visions, and subtle shades of grey filtered into her vision.

She felt heavy, like was alive again, almost, and her head was swimming.

What was happening to her?

Everything was changing, turning from grey to colourful, from nothing to anything.

And within moments, she was back in the dark forest. Except, it wasn't the same as it had been before. Everything had an ethereal glow, as though it was baked in odd lamps and eerie lights. There was a whispering in her ears, and she knew she was not the only one of her kind.

She gazed at her hand, and it faded and became clearer in front of her eyes, fluctuating between visibility and evanescence.

It took her a few moments to understand that she was a ghost, and that she was definitely dead. Her bloody body at her feet was a clear emphasiser of that. She remembered then the Baron, and she span, slowly, to see his corpse at her feet. So he was dead too? Good riddance.

There was nothing to fear now, so she just moved, gliding through the lively forest, and very aware of the amount of life around her.

She needed to find someone… Ivan, than was it.

Helena glided in the direction of the village, and she blinked. She arrived there within short seconds, and she realised that becoming a ghost had vastly changed the way she moved. A journey that should have taken fifteen minutes to walk, had only taken two seconds, and no apparition was involved. She was sure she couldn't even apparate, or perform any form of magic, in her current form.

She found herself outside Ivan's hut, and she wasn't sure how to alert him of her presence. Could she knock on the door?

Helena placed her hand on the door, but instead of contacting it, it drifted straight through the wood, as though she wasn't there at all.

She was hesitant at first, but pushed through the door.

It didn't take long to find Ivan, sprawled asleep on the ground, and she leaned towards him. His eyes fluttered open, and it took him a second to realise what he was seeing.

At first, he frowned as though he recognised her, but wasn't sure. But then he realised that she was, in fact, dead, and let out the most terrible cry she had ever heard. His sisters and mother bolted up from their beds, and when they saw the lady ghost in the centre of their hut, they joined Ivan's screams.

Feeling sad and confused, Helena backed away, fearful and upset by their reaction.

What could she do? She hadn't counted on people cowering away from her, and now she knew she could not stay. She turned away, and moved in a different direction, and seemed to arrive miles away in a matter of moments. She would have sobbed, if she was able to be.

But ghosts could not cry, it seemed.

She hated what she was instantly, but knew no way of going back. She tried to think of the lights and nothing place, but the harder she tried to think of it, the further away it seemed to her.

She was stuck like this, at least for the moment, it seemed, and she had no idea what to do, or where to go.

Then she remembered her mother again, and the thought she, too, was about to die.

Suddenly, it became clear where Helena's place was; Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

She wasn't sure how to get there exactly, so she just glided, thoughts of turrets and acres of grounds, and the Forbidden Forest present in her mind.

Before she knew it, she had passed trees and cities, and countries and cultures, to find herself facing a sea. Water stretched for miles in front of her, and she knew beyond it was her country, and her true home. But no matter how hard she tried, she could not seem to glide across the water. It seemed madness to her, that she could be able to travel across whole countries in seconds, yet an ocean was impossible.

Helena wasn't sure what else to do, so she moved onto a ship, hiding in the store areas and keeping out of sight.

It took a month to get back to her country, but once she was back on land, the journey was fast once again. Seconds it took to get from the harbour to the gates outside Hogwarts.

It was an absurd journey, but a necessary one.

She stood at the gates, looking up at the castle she had fled eight years before. She left an alive, wilful young girl, and now she returned, as a wiser, gentler ghost.

It turns out it wasn't the diadem that would make her more intelligent than her mother… It was simply life, and death, that made her more worldly and knowledgeable.

That would be something to tell her mother before she died…


	6. Mournful Air And Ghostly Mother

**~ Of Fleeting Dreams And Evanescent Hearts ~**

**A/N:** Annnd the final chapter! This one was 1, 078, making a total of **6,356**! So phew, I'm very glad I've written this in time! I hope you all enjoy, and please review!

**[[Chapter Six: Mournful Air And Ghostly Mother]]**

* * *

The castle was as deserted and hushed as the night she had left, so long ago.

It was a different kind of silence though, and it was thick with sadness and mourning. The air was odd and thin, though Helena suspected that was due to her ghostly nature, rather than the actual physical state of it, as the air seemed to glow also. She moved slowly through the front door, gliding effortlessly across the dusty floor.

It felt as though something was awfully wrong, and the mourning feeling was something to do with her.

Perhaps the students had heard of her murder, and were sad at her tragic end.

Or not, she suspected. She was ridiculed when she attended Hogwarts, and she feared no-one would truly care if she had died.

Still, she was here to see her mother again before she passed away, to let her know she was sorry and that she was safe, now at least.

The Grand Staircase was easier to traverse now that she couldn't breathe, or had to walk. Her speed gliding made the journey very easy, and she found herself feeling very nervous as she approached her mother's tower.

The castle seemed so unchanged from the last time she had been there, and it was odd how much her life could change, yet she could come back and everything would be the same.

The tower seemed very odd to her. The armoured knights corridor was dustier than she remembered, and there was a familiar smell of death and emptiness.

She suddenly feared that she was too late, and that her mother was already gone.

She glided faster then, and entered her mother's chambers seconds later.

Helena was surprised by the scene in front of her. The room was cleared out, and it was horribly bare and empty. She knew she was too late then, and she grew mournful in herself.

But directly in the centre of the room stood a man.

Not any old man though. He was a ghost, in a powdered wig and rich clothes, with a blood coating his front and chains in his fading hands.

It was the Baron, as dead as she was.

They stared at each other for a long while, his eyes darker and more terrifying than they had even been in life, and the chains clanged together as though disturbed by an invisible wind.

"Helena…" He whispered hoarsely, and there was an odd, echo-like quality to his voice.

She shook her head, too shocked and upset to speak.

"I must apologise… Your mother has passed, but she will not return, not like us." He could see she was unable to respond. "They have decided that this will no longer be used as a chamber. It was decreed in your mother's will that her rooms be made into a study room, for the study of the stars. It shall now be known as the Astronomy Tower."

Helena nodded slowly, understanding her mother's wishes completely. The view of the stars really was phenomenal from this room.

"Milady… I must apologise for what I did to you. Death was not what you deserved, especially at my hands. And the fact that you were with child… It was awful. I will forever hold these chains as a sign of my penitence. It will be done."

Helena could listen to no more.

She fled, flying through the air until she back outside again, without any idea how she had reached there. She was in the grounds now, and so many memories rushed back to her. The Baron had reminded her of something she had forgotten in her death.

Her baby…

Of course, the child would have died with her, but it meant that in her ghostly form, the ghost of her unborn child would surely still be within her?

She traced transparent hands over her stomach, and knew that it was true. Her child would never grow any older than it was now, but Helena could always know that she had begun to create life; that it resided within her despite her death. There was only a thin skin between her and her child, and it was safe for them within her. Dead already, they would never have to suffer anything of the terrible, tragic world. She would be able to nurture and care for them forever, inside her, and they would never be hurt.

They were both dead, yes, and now the Baron and her mother was dead too, but she was safer and more comfortable now than she had ever been.

To be a ghost was her destiny, it seemed.

**)O(**

Night time was her favourite time of day.

She loved the way her stars watched down on her, shining through her ghostly body with their radiant, white glow.

She had often wondered if ghosts existed… She remembered the sound of her mother's lyre in the night, but it was a sound that was never heard again.

But she felt foolish now, for ever doubting the existence of ghosts. Of course they existed.

She had heard their whispers every night, singing silently along with her mother's melodies.

Now she was one of those whispers, gliding through the corridors every day and every night, watching out for the students that her mother had cared for as though her own. Helena had vowed to be a good mother to her unborn child, but that did not mean she couldn't be a surrogate mother to the successors of her mother's house.

The house of Ravenclaw would forever carry on her name, though no live person would ever wear it again. She liked it that way.

No-one else should suffer the pain of not feeling good enough for their own family, or that they can't live up to a prestigious name.

She had decided that, and would do anything in her power to make it a reality.

Often, she would pass the in the corridors a lonely, guilty man.

She says man, but he was a ghost, really. He was a major part of her life, but in death, he was too remorseful to allow himself to love or disturb her again.

So they never spoke a single word to each other again. He had apologised to her, and she had forgiven.

But truly, she loved her new life.

It was lonely, sometimes, but it allowed her to watch over all the Ravenclaws to come.

They were all her children.


End file.
